Happy 6 months, BIF!
On 21st March 2024, we’ve opened the doors to our boutique, filled with racks of beautiful clothes, buzzing with excitement and a simple mission in mind: bringing the Italian craftsmanship, as seen through the eyes of our founder, Iuliia Grinkiv, to the streets of Luxembourg.
The mission has stayed the same, but a lot has changed nonetheless over the course of the last 6 months. In order to celebrate this milestone, we’ve sat down for a little recap interview with our founder and discussed this half-anniversary of BUON ITALIAN FASHION.
How did you feel when you first opened the boutique?
I felt like a mother showing her newborn baby for the first time to people *laughs*. My business is like my baby: I invest my time, energy and attention into it, like I did with my daughter, so it was a very rewarding moment, but also a very nerve-wrecking experience at the same time.
What was your biggest fear when it came to opening the boutique?
I’ve worked in this sphere for over 20 years before opening the boutique, so the job of buying and selling wasn’t new to me, but it was still a whole new experience to me. I used to buy for specific clients, so I got to know their taste, preferences and lifestyles over time. When I first opened the shop, I didn’t really know who the clients would be, so it was so scary to me to just take the plunge and not know whether they would like or dislike the collection.
Resume these 6 months in 6 words.
Happiness, stress, dedication, pleasure and the beauty of getting to meet amazing people on a daily basis (sorry for cheating on the 6-word-policy, but I think it’s one of the most important aspects of the business so far).
How has the concept evolved since you first opened the boutique?
In the beginning, the clothes were hanging in capsule looks together. I thought that it might be easier for clients to imagine a whole look, but I quickly realised that the shopping experience was somehow harder for them. Now, the pants are hanging with other pants, the tops with the tops, the dresses with the dresses, and so on. We also expanded the offer to accommodate belts, bags and accessories, and we changed quite a bit in the interior design, by adding some shelves, seating options and - a personal favourite of mine - a neon logo.
What is your most fond memory with the clients from these past months?
One of my recurring clients has told me once that she comes to my boutique because it’s the one place where she really feels like a woman. I don’t think there’s a bigger compliment I could’ve gotten.
And generally speaking, what has been the biggest highlight for you so far?
There were quite a few, but the biggest highlight for me was the day of the official opening. It was quite short-notice and yet, there were so many people that came by to hang out with us and shop, even though we weren’t that well-known yet. It showed me that we’re really onto something and people truly enjoy the atmosphere we’ve created at BIF.
If we do this interview again in 6 months time, what would you hope to add to that list of highlights?
The only thing I can hope for is that even more women will come to the shop and trust me to help them find the best looks for them to feel stylish, comfortable with themselves and, to use the wording of my client, like a true and beautiful woman.
